Officials have been instructed not to collect revised rate

The city corporation has retained the old water tariff of Rs. 660 a year for domestic connections, instead of the revised rate of Rs. 2,100. The decision was taken at a meeting of the corporation on Saturday, when all councillors, irrespective of their party affiliations, insisted that the revised water tariff should not be enforced.

D.N. Jagadish, Leader of the Opposition, said the water tariff was enhanced from Rs. 660 a year to Rs. 2,100 when D.V. Sadananda Gowda was Chief Minister. A few months ago, the Congress councillors, led by Davangere MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa, had met Mr. Gowda and appealed to him to withdraw the hike. Mr. Jagadish on Saturday alleged that the corporation personnel were still collecting the revised water tariff and urged the Mayor to instruct the officials to collect the old rate only.

Mayor Sudha Jayarudresh claimed that only old tariff was being collected. Shivanahalli Ramesh, Congress councillor, said that he had received complaints from the residents of SS Layout that they were being charged Rs. 2,100 a year. Ms. Jayarudresh said that it had not come to her notice and asked corporation Commissioner Prasanna Kumar to instruct the officials concerned not to collect the new tariff. Ms. Jayarudresh said that the corporation was spending about Rs. 11 crore annually on supply of drinking water, the total receipts was only Rs. 2.5 crore.

Shivanahalli Ramesh of the Congress urged the Mayor to get express power line for the Rajanahalli pumphouse to ensure regular supply of water in Davangere.

•  Water tariff had been hiked to Rs. 2,100 a year
• Demand to get express power line for Rajanahalli pumphouse